Celebrating 25 years we have seen the PCB design Industry contribute to the Economic growth of the UK. At this milestone we have started to review our time (life) as PCB Designers, with specific reviews of landmarks over 25 years, from the inception of TBS LTD ( and the creation of Google) in 1998. This first article reviews the progressive growth in PCB Industry and importance of UK PCB design.
With electronics shaping our world we have been looking at many elements of the PCB industry, not just the economy, but on the environment, and how PCB design (electronics) influence of the society, or even the human race.
The latest Design Council’s Design Economy Research Program has revealed some interesting findings on the impact of design in the UK, stating:-
- Design is a significant growth engine for the UK’s economy : In 2019, the design economy contributed £97.4 billion in GVA, 73% more than in 2010.
That’s two-thirds of the financial sector’s contribution! - Design jobs are on the rise: In 2020, there were 1.97 million people working in design jobs.
- Design skills are essential for a net-zero world: We need strong design skills more than ever as we aim to reach and move beyond a net-zero world where we can all thrive.
While these findings are exciting, there are still some areas of risk for the future of design. For example:
Fewer young people are taking design courses: There was a 68% decrease from 2010 to 2021 in the number of young people taking Design and Technology at GCSE level.
Interestingly we did an article on looking at new ideas on PCB Jobs and PCB Training through Gamification! Last week!
Design is a vital part of our world, and we need to ensure that it continues to thrive. In 2021 in the UK the manufacturer sales of printed circuit boards amounted to 38.26 million. The global printed circuit board (PCB) market size has been valued at USD 82.2 Billion in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 117.2 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 4.54% from 2024 to 2030.
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The growth being predicted in the growth of AI and adoption of automation in various end-user industries, growing demand for wireless devices, increasing miniaturization of devices, along with the obvious increasing demand for smartphones and devices in the IT and consumer electronics sector contributing to the growth of these global PCB market figures.
Graph Ref Statista- UK
www.statista.com – manufacturer sales of printed circuit boards in the United Kingdom
Graph Ref VMS
www.verifiedmarketresearch.com – PCB Global Market
Graph Ref DB
Design Week – Design Economy Report
Design Council – UK Design economy
